Indian Military

NEW DELHI: Augmenting its fleet of multi role helicopters, the Navy is looking to procure more such choppers for carrying out anti-submarine warfare and Special Forces' operations.
In a Request for Information (RFI) issued recently, the Navy has said it intends to procure new Naval Multi Role Helicopters (NMRH) for anti-submarine, anti-surface and Special Commando operations roles.
Interestingly, the Navy has shown its intent to procure these choppers at a time when it is already planning to start the trials for buying 16 MRHs from the two contenders Sikorsky S-70B and European NH-90 next month under a separate tender.
Navy officials told PTI that the earlier tender process will continue and the trials would be carried out as per the original schedule.
In its requirement for the next batch of helicopters, the navy stated that the basic chopper for performing all the specified roles should be same with common airframe, engines, avionics and it should be capable of changing roles with ease.

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The Indian Navy has issued a Request For Information (RFI) for a second batch of Multi-Role Helicopters (MRH), even with the existing tender process for a USD 1 billion order for 16 helicopters still under way.

The RFI reads, “The Ministry of Defence, Government of India, intends to augment the fleet of existing multi role helicopters (ASW/ASUW/Special Ops Commando) with suitable new-build Naval Multi Role Helicopters (NMRH), with comparable performance and ASW, ASuW, SAR, ELINT and Special Operation / Commando operation capabilities. The basic helicopter for all three roles viz ASW, ASuW and Special Operation / Commando should be same with common airframe, engines, avionics etc for ease of maintenance training and Op-logistics issues. Capability should exist in the helicopter for role specific configurations to be achieved with ease.”

The navy shopping around for a second time is being seen as a result of the the increasing requirement for Multi Role Helicopters, keeping in mind the decreasing life of the navy’s Sea King helicopters.

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The Indian Army has issued a Request For Information (RFI) for towed artillery guns, effectively canceling the previous process for procurement of these weapons systems, in which BAE Systems was fielding the FH77 B05, (an upgraded version of the FH77 B02 in service with the army) against Singapore Technologies (ST) Kinetics’ iFH 2000.

The army, which had issued the RFI on Thursday, gave much cause for confusion, by initially alluding to ‘A Self Propelled Gun System mounted on a vehicle chassis such as CEASER 155 mm Self propelled Gun’. The line was deleted on Friday evening, to remove any doubts about the earlier tender process being canceled.

During the day, on Friday, sources in the Ministry of Defense confirmed that the RFI, indeed, indicated a fresh tender for 155 mm/52 caliber Towed Artillery Guns. The reason the ministry gave for this decision was the creation of a single-vendor situation due to the non-appearance of the ST Kinetics’ gun at the trials.